No need to let diabetes slow you down.

The vacation season has arrived, which means it’s a great time to depart for new destinations. With the travel tips below and following through with the needed planning, your trip can be pure enjoyment and free of troubling diabetes incidents.

Tips for having an awesome vacation, with diabetes

Do you dream of wiggling your toes in warm, white sand or seeing centuries-old sights in foreign lands? If you have diabetes, there’s no reason to limit your vacation adventures. All that’s needed is a bit of planning. The following is a quick run-down of helpful diabetes travel advice:

• • Be prepared for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) if you’ll be flying. Ask your doctor for a letter stating that you need to carry your necessary supplies, including syringes, test strips, insulin, and more. Be sure to bring the letter and the supplies in your carry-on, just in case your luggage ends up in a different airport than you do.
  • Plan ahead for your meals and snacks so that you can eat the foods that are diabetes-friendly. Buy snacks at the airport if airline food doesn’t whet your appetite.
  • If you are flying alone, be sure to notify someone on the airplane about your diabetes in case an emergency arises. No need to go into great detail but inform a flight attended that you may need juice or soda if you become hypoglycemic.

• Another reason to plan ahead for meals is because there can be a tremendous temptation to over-indulge. Whatever buffets may be spread before you, give your vacation the boost it needs by eating healthy and avoiding indulgences that are ill-advised for diabetics.
• If you’re heading to a warm climate, don’t forget to bring cool packs for your insulin. Remember that freezing insulin spoils it. Your diabetes devices should be kept in a cool place, too. Extreme temperatures can affect blood glucose meters.
• You may dream of dipping your toes in the sand, but don’t walk barefoot on the beach. If you are cut by a sharp seashell or bottle caps under the sand, you may not feel it or be aware of it until infection has set in. Even if you’ve worn sandals or water shoes, as you should, always check your feet after a visit to a beach.

Do your pre-vacation homework

These basics will be a big help when you are on a vacation with diabetes. Doing some additional research to find other helpful resources could end up being important, depending on where you travel. Bon voyage!

Special thanks to Stephanie McHugh for writing this article.